Safety valved pressure caps



Nov. 6, 1962 R. J. HUMBERT 3,062,400 SAFETY VALVED PRESSURE CAPS Filed May 5. 1960 INVENTOR. 'EEUBEM J. HUMBEZT ATTORNEYS nited tates atent 3,062,400 Patented Nov. 6, 1962 3,062,400 SAFETY VALVED PRESSURE CAPS Reuben J. Humbert, Box 563, Coos Bay, Oreg. Filed May 3, 1960, Ser. No. 26,570 1 Claim. (ill. 220-44) This invention relates to novel safety valved pressure caps for such as automobile radiator filler pipes.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of safer, more efiicient and reliable pressure caps of the kind indicated, which include means for automatically releasing above normal radiator pressures into the overflow pipes of radiator filler pipes in addition to manual means for releasing normal radiator pressure, preliminary to removing the caps from filler pipes.

Another object of the invention is to provide pressure caps of the character indicated above which are composed of easily assembled parts.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying .drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a cap of the invention applied to and closing the filler neck or pipe of an automobile radiator;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1, showing the manual pressure release means and the automatic pressure release means closed;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical section and elevation showing the manual pressure release means in open position; and,

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary section, like FIGURE 2, of another form of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like and related numerals designate like and related parts throughout the several views, and first to FIGURES 1 to 5, the safety cap therein shown, andgenerally designated 11), comprises an inverted circular pan-shaped closure cap 12 which is substantially larger in diameter than a radiator filler pipe or neck 14 which is to be closed. The closure cap 12 comprises a flat web 16 having a depending downwardly flaring sidewall 18 on its periphery. At diametrically opposed points the sidewall 18 has hollow downwardly opening extensions 20. Sidewall 18 is also provided with radially inwardly extending lugs 22 at its lower end to securably and removably engage beneath an outstanding rim 24 on the filler pipe at the upper end thereof, in a generally conventional manner. The rim 24 is provided with spaced notches 25.

The web 16 of the closure cap 12 is formed with a central depressed portion 26 having a central opening 28 therein, and with diametrically opposed chordal slots 30 spaced outwardly from the depressed portion 26, the slots being located ninety degrees from the extensions 20.

Engaged concentrically on the upper side of the closure cap web 16 is a flat lever mounting disc 32, smaller in diameter than the closure cap, provided with a central opening 33, and having diametrically opposed depending tongues 34 on it peripheral edge, which are downwardly engaged through the web slots 30 and securably engaged with the underside of the web 16, as shown in FIGURE 4. Preferably integral with the disc 32 and located ninety degrees from the tongues 34, is a pair of upstanding parallel ribs 36 which extend across the disc 32 and are preferably formed by folding and compressing the material of the disc. At points intermediate their ends, the ribs 36 are formed with registered vertically elongated pivot slots 38, through which extend related ends of a pivot pin 40 which is journalled through an end of a release lever 42 which is located between and extends along the ribs 36.

The release lever 42 is preferably of inverted channel form, affording parallel spaced sidewalls 44 having straight lower edges 46 which have arcuate cam portions 48 at the forward ends 50 of these sidewalls. The pivot pin 40 is journalled through the sidewalls 44 at a location rear to the forward ends 50 and near the lower edges 46, as seen in FIGURE 2, so that the lever 42 has overcenter locking action which holds the lever in depressed position, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. On the rear ends of the lever sidewalls 44 are reduced width longitudinal extensions 52 which terminate in opposed laterally outwardly directed ears 54, the extensions 52 and the ears 54 together constituting a receiver for a lever locking latch 56.

The lever latch 56 preferably is a wire form having a loop 58 on its lower end which is journalled through one of the closure cap extensions 20, as indicated at 59, an upstanding double shank 60, and a cross head 62 on the upper end of the shank 60, the latch 56 being swingable to engage the shank 60 between the receiver extensions 52, with the cross head 62 bearing upon the upper edges of the extensions 52, so as to hold the lever 42 down in its depressed position. Locking fingers 64 depend from the lower edges 46 of the lever sidewalls 44 at the rear end of the lever and engage in either of two slots 66 formed in the parts of the closure cap web 16, which form the top walls of the hollow extensions 20 and the adjacent notch 25 in the rim 24, as shown in FIGURE 2, so that rotation of the cap 10 relative to the radiator filling pipe is prevented, unless and until the lever 42 be elevated to disengage the fingers 64 from the locking slot engaged thereby. This safety feature positively prevents removal of the cap 10, before the radiator PISSUI has been released by operation of the lever, so that injury otherwise resulting from steam and water gushing out of the filler pipe, upon removal of the cap, is prevented.

Secured in the central opening 28 in the depressed portion 26 of the closure cap web 16 is a tubular metal grommet 63 comprising a vertical tube 70 fitting the opening 28, an upper lateral annular flange 72, bearing upon the upper side of the depressed portion 26, and a lower lateral annular flange 74. Circumposed on the tube 70 below the web 16 is a resilient concave-convex tension disc 76, of a diameter to hear, at its peripheral edge 78, upon the top of the filler pipe head 24. The concave upper side of the tension disc 76 engages the underside of the depressed portion 26 of the web 16 and has a concentric convex annular portion 80 which is concentrically spaced from the portion 26 and which bears against the underside of the web 16.

Circumposed on the grommet tube 70 between the tension disc 76 and the lower grommet flange 74, and compressed thereby against the underside of the disc 76, is the hemispherical top wall 82 of a bell-shaped housing 84, having abylindrical sidewall 86 on whose lower edge is a lateral annular flange 88. Formed in the sidewall 86 and through the flange 88, are vertically elongated V-shaped-, diametrically opposed notches 90, which serve as radiator pressure release ports, for releasing air, steam, and water under pressure from the radiator filler pipe, from below an internal annular seat 92 in the pipe to an overflow port 94 in the filler pipe sidewall 96 above the seat 92, to which an overflow pipe 98 is connected, While a main valve assembly 100 is seated on the seat 92,

3 and an automatic pressure release valve assembly 102. is open.

The main valve assembly 100 comprises an upper rigid pan 104 having an upset central portion 106 formed with a central opening 108 fitting and receiving the housing 84 above and bearing downwardly upon the housing stop flange 88, the upper pan 104 having an upstanding annular stabilizing flange 110 around its opening 108 which is slidably telescoped on the housing 84. The pan 104 has an upstanding peripheral flange 112. The main valve assembly 100 further comprises a rigid lower pan 114 which has a depressed central portion 116 surrounded by a flat outer portion 118 in which is formed an upstanding annular rib 120 which bears against the underside of the outer portion 122 of the upper pan 104. The lower pan has an upstanding peripheral annular flange 124 which is telescoped on the peripheral flange 112 of the upper pan 104, and assembling lugs 126, spaced around and formed in the lower pan flange 124, are bent over and onto the upper edge of the upper pan flange 112, as shown in FIG- URES 2 and 4. Suitably secured to and conforming to the underside of the lower pan 114 is a flexible and compressible disc gasket 127, which, in the depressed closed position of the main valve assembly 100, bears sealingly at its peripheral edge 128, upon the filler pipe seat 92, as shown in' FIGURES 2 and 4. A relatively large diameter helical expanding spring 130 spacedly surrounds the housing 84 and is compressed between the tension disc 76 and the upper pan 104, so as to yieldably urge the main valve assembly 100 downwardly to closing and sealing engagement with the filler pipe seat 92.

Securing the lower pan 114, and the gasket 127 compressed together is another or lower grommet 132 having a vertical tube 134 extending through the centers of the lower pan 114 and the gasket 127, an upper lateral flange 136 bearing upon the upper side of the pan 114, and a lower lateral flange 138 on the lower end of the tube 134. A rigid concave-convex gasket supporting disc 140, smaller in diameter than the gasket 127, is circumposed on the tube 134 and bears against the underside of the central part of the gasket and has an upset annular outer portion 142 which bears against the underside of the outer part of the gasket, as seen in FIGURES 2 and 4. Circumposed on the grommet tube 134 and engaged with the underside of the central part of the supporting disc 140 is a flat flexible and compressible sealing disc 144 which serves as the pressure sealing seat for the automatic valve assembly 102, and which is held up in place by the lower grommet flange 138.

The automatic valve assembly 102 comprises a rigid pan-shaped valve 146, smaller in diameter than the supporting disc 140, and about the diameter of the sealing or seat disc 144, which has an upstanding convexly rounded peripheral bead 148 to bear against the underside of the seat disc 144, in the closed condition of the automatic valve assembly. Fixed centrally to the valve 146, as indicated at 150, is an upstanding stem 152, which is smaller in diameter than and rises spacedly through the bore 154 of the lower grommet 132, and has an enlarged diameter head 156 on its upper end. The head 156 is located between and is spaced from the upper and lower pans 104 and 114 of the main valve assembly 100, and a helical expansion spring 158 is circumposed on the stem 152 and is compressed between the head 156 and the upper end of the grommet 132, so as to yieldably elevate the valve 146 into closing engagement with the seat disc 144.

For elevating or lifting the main valve assembly 100 off the filler pipe seat 92, as a safety assuring preliminary to removing the cap from the filler pipe 14, a lifting assembly, generally designated 160, is provided, which is independent of the automatic valve assembly 102. The assembly 160 comprises a vertical slide shaft 162, working in the bore 164 of the upper grommet 68 and journalled, at its upper end, on the pivot pin 40, between the sidewalls 44 of the releasing lever 42. At the lower end of the shaft 162 is a vertically elongated closed slot 166, through which is slidably engaged the bight portion 168 of an inverted V-shaped yoke 170 which rises through the open lower end of the bell-shaped housing 84 and works in the slots 90, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, and has lateral horizontal legs 172 which bear against the underside of the lifter flange 88 and are securably hooked at their ends, as indicated at 174, through diametrically opposed openings 175 provided in the skirt 176 of the central portion 106 of the upper main valve assembly pan 104, as seen in FIGURE 4.

To lift the main valve assembly off the filler pipe seat 92, the latch 56 is swung out of engagement with the receiver on the outer or rear end of the manual releasing lever 42, and the lever 42 pivoted upwardly, so as to engage its cams 48 with the upper surface of the mounting disc 32, so that the shaft 162 is cammed or pulled upwardly and lifts the main valve assembly 100, by means of the yoke 170, off the filler pipe seat 92, and thereby provides for escape of pressure components from the filler pipe 14, below the seat 92, around the main valve assembly 100 to the overflow pipe port 94. Elevation of the lever 42 releases the locking finger 64 from the cap extension slot 66, so that the cap 10 is then free to be rotatably removed from the tiller pipe, in the usual way, without danger from unreleased high pressure components gushing from the opened filler pipe.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGURE .6 of the drawings, and general designated 10a, only the lift assembly a is different from the structure of the above described cap 10, and for the absence of an upper pan in the main valve assembly.

The lift assembly 160a of FIGURE 6 has an axial extension 168a rising from the head 156a of the stem 152a of the automatic release valve assembly 102a, having an enlarged head a on its upper end. Substituting for the housing 84 is a vertical cylindrical yoke 84a on whose upper end 82a is fixed theupstanding lift shaft 162a. An inturned flange 88a on the lower end of the cylinder 84a is engaged beneath the extension head 170a.

As shown in FIGURE 6, the flange 88a is, when the main valve assembly 100a and the automatic valve assembly 102a are in closed positions, sufficientlyspaced below the head 170a that the automatic valve 146a has freedom to open by subsiding away from its seat disc 144a. Otherwise, the operations of the valve assemblies are the same as described in connection with the device of FIGURES 1 to 5.

While there have been shown and described herein preferred forms of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confied thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

In combination, a pressure outlet pipe having an open end and an internal annular seat and a pressure release port between said open end and said seat, an outstanding rim extending about the open end of said pipe, there being circumferentially spaced notches in said rim, a closure cap closing the open end of said pipe and having on its perimeter lugs which removably engage the periphery of said rim, said cap being provided with spaced slots adjacent the periphery and circumferentially-spaced a substantial distance from the lugs, a spring-closed main annular valve assembly within said pipe and normally resting upon said pipe seat, closing spring means compressed between the closure cap and said main valve assembly, and a lift assembly comprising a shaft connected at one end to the main valve assembly and extending through the closure cap, and lever means externally mounted on the closure cap and operatively connected to said lift shaft, said main valve assembly having a central port therethrough providing communication in the outlet pipe to opposite sides of the pipe seat and to the pipe-pressure release port, and an automatic pressure-release valve as sembly comprising a seat on the side of the main valve assembly remote from the open end of the outlet pipe and surrounding said central port, and a spring-closed pressure-operated valve mounted on the main valve assembly and normally closing said central port, said lever means comprising a cam lever externally of said closure cap and having one end pivotally connected to said shaft, a latch receiver extending from the other end of the lever, a latch pivoted on the closure cap and releasably engaging the receiver to hold the lever in position for retaining the main valve assembly in closing position, and locking finger means depending from said lever inwardly of and adjacent said receiver and extending through one of said 6. slots in said cap and engaging a notch in said rim to thereby prevent rotation of the cap relative to the filler cap for releasing said rotary securing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,544,727 Delmar July 7, 1925 2,591,562 Levell Apr. 1, 1952 2,698,160 Hansen Dec. 28, 1954 2,760,367 Stromberg Aug. 28, 1956 2,792,964 Reese et al. May 21, 1957 2,944,699 Oetiker July 12, 1960 2,964,214 Stannard Dec. 13, 1960 2,968,421 Eshbaugh Jan. 17, 1961 2,990,971 Enell July 4, 1961 

